Effects of On-Farm Seed Priming and Sowing Date on Germination Properties and some Physiological Growth Indices of three Soybean Cultivars (Glycine max L.) in Hamedan

In order to study the effects of on-farm seed priming and sowing date on germination percentage, germination speed, and some growth indices of three soybean cultivars, a field experiment was carried out in three replications using a split plot factorial in a randomized complete block design. Main plots were representative of two sowing date (5th and 21th of May), while subplots included combinations of three soybean cultivars (L17, M7 and M9) and priming treatments (4 levels including seed soaking for four hours in tap water, %0.02 zinc sulphate, %0.4 potassium nitrate solutions and no-prime). Results showed that germination speed and germination percentage increased in second sowing date due to higher temperature. Primed seeds with tap water and zinc sulphate solution germinated more and faster than no primed seeds. M9 cultivar was better than two other cultivars. Priming with Zn solution increased leaf area index in all cultivars, also it increased biological yield of M7 and M9 cultivars in the first sowing date. In the first sowing date the crop growth rate of three soybean cultivars were increased by Zn priming. Meanwhile in M9 and L17 cultivars priming with tap water compensated sowing delay side effects on growth indices.